Governor Says State Tax Collections Coming in $250 Million Over Projections

Senator Jim Holzapfel, Assemblyman Greg McGuckin, and Assemblyman Dave Wolfe (all R-Ocean) said any unexpected State tax revenues should be dedicated to fully funding school districts like Brick and Toms River that have been hit with massive cuts in aid under Governor Phil Murphy’s proposed FY 2020 State Budget.

Holzapfel, McGuckin & Wolfe said Gov. Phil Murphy should use $250 million in unanticipated State tax revenue collections to reverse millions in local school funding cuts proposed in his FY 2020 State Budget plan. (Chart Source: NJ Department of Education)

The Governor recently said that State tax collections for the current fiscal year, which ends June 30th, are running approximately $250 million ahead of projections.

“Governor Murphy has proposed cutting $5.5 million from the Brick and Toms River school district budgets next year, which has resulted in a massive number of teacher layoffs that will impact our classrooms,” said Holzapfel. “If the Governor is now sitting on hundreds of millions in extra tax revenues that he wasn’t expecting to collect, he must make fully funding our schools, protecting our teachers, and educating our children his top priority.”

Gov. Murphy is cutting $5.5M from Brick & Toms River school aid next year. If he's sitting on hundreds of millions in extra tax revenues, he must make fully funding our schools, protecting our teachers & educating our kids his top priority.https://t.co/AxTTM0cejy

As part of the Governor’s budget proposal for the coming year, school aid to Brick and Toms River would be cut by $2.74 million and $2.78 million, representing reductions of 8% and 4.2% in State aid, respectively.

“It’s school districts like ours that succeed in providing a quality, affordable education to our children that always seem to pay the price for other people’s inability to do the same,” said McGuckin. “Governor Murphy is flat out wrong to shift funding from our schools to other districts that have already mismanaged billions. We shouldn’t reward failure. The Governor should take the opportunity presented by unanticipated State revenues gains and do the right thing by funding our schools at the levels they deserve.”

In Brick, Governor Murphy’s funding cuts have resulted in a district budget for next year that eliminates 62 positions, including three kindergarten teachers, 17 teachers in grades 1 to 5, five high school teachers, 15 special education teachers, and 5 teacher aides.

Brick Township property taxpayers would also be forced to pay 3.5% more in local school taxes to cover some of the lost State funding.

In Toms River, the cuts proposed by the Governor have resulted in the need to eliminate 80 positions, including 61 teachers, and raise the local school tax levy by 2%.

“As someone who spent decades teaching, I am appalled by the Governor’s efforts to gut the quality of education in suburban school districts like ours that have always operated efficiently,” said Wolfe. “Governor Murphy has the power and the money, apparently, to undo all of the harm he has proposed inflicting on our schools. We believe he should use the extra $250 million in taxes he has collected to fully fund our schools.”

The rape and murder of a woman in Jersey City by an illegal immigrant who was deported twice, highlights the dangers of sanctuary cities within our state, Senator Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and Dave Wolfe (all R-10) today said.

The lawmakers, outraged by this preventable tragedy, released the following statement sounding off on the threat to public safety caused by sanctuary cities:

District 10 lawmakers: the rape and murder of a woman in Jersey City by an illegal immigrant who was deported twice, highlights the dangers of sanctuary cities within our state. (Flickr)

“Sanctuary cities jeopardize the safety of millions of our residents, and the life of a young woman has been taken away because our state chooses to arrogantly disregard federal law,” said Senator Holzapfel. “We must not allow criminals, such as Rios to slip through the cracks in our immigration system.”

Jorge Rios, of Honduras, entered the country illegally and was deported on two prior occasions in 2003 and 2004. He was charged with the murder of a woman who was jogging in Jersey City and faces 30 years in prison before he is deported yet again.

“Now this illegal immigrant will have his taxpayer-funded day in court with a taxpayer-funded lawyer where he will end up in a taxpayer-funded prison for years before being deported for a third time,” stated Assemblyman McGuckin. “This man should have never been in our country in the first place.”

​Recently the legislators have expressed their opposition to a bill (S-3229/A-4743) which would allow the State to issue a driver’s license to persons who are “unable to prove lawful presence in the United States.”

The legislation is part of Governor Phil Murphy’s effort to turn New Jersey into a sanctuary state.

“Jorge Rios is yet another example of how the Democrats in our state pursue their political agenda at the expense of an innocent, law-abiding citizen,” added Assemblyman Wolfe.

Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin (all R-10) today said that they stand by Toms River Regional School District Superintendent David Healy’s testimony, as delivered during a public budget hearing, stating that they will continue to fight for fair funding for students in Ocean County and throughout New Jersey.

District 10 Legislators stand by Toms River Regional School District Superintendent David Healy’s testimony, as delivered a March 21, 2019 public budget hearing, stating that they will continue to fight for fair funding for students in Ocean County and throughout New Jersey. (Wikimedia Commons)

Superintendent Healy testified at a March 21, 2019 public budget hearing in Newark, urging officials to stop all further cuts until the flaws in the state’s funding formula are fixed. The severe funding cuts to schools within Legislative District 10 have been vehemently opposed by legislators, school officials, and students.

“Superintendent Healy’s testimony shines a light on the glaring holes in our state’s school funding formula,” Senator Holzapfel said. “As a result of Governor Murphy’s funding cuts, District 10 is set to lose over $5.5 million in State aid for the 2019-2020 school year. On behalf of students and taxpayers in our district, we will continue to speak out against the deeper cuts that will be imposed in the years to come if the Governor’s budget proposal becomes law.”

“We have been met with nothing but silence from the State Department of Education when we questioned their lack of transparency in calculating Local Fair Share,” Assemblymen McGuckin added. “Stating that the calculations for determining Local Fair Share are ‘proprietary’ seems to be an excuse for withholding valuable information from our school district. We believe all school districts should have the right to know how the property and wealth calculators in the formula are obtained.”

“We vow to fight the cuts imposed by Governor Murphy and the Democrat-controlled Legislature, whose members have been completely unresponsive to the needs of local students and taxpayers,” Assemblymen Wolfe said. “Our office is working diligently with local school officials and our colleagues in Trenton to restore funding for our local schools. We will not roll over and allow Democrats to redirect millions away from our school districts at the expense of our student’s education and our resident’s tax dollars.”

As a state senator and former county prosecutor, I oppose efforts by Gov. Phil Murphy and Democrats in the state Legislature to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in the Garden State.

The claims made by supporters of legalization don’t tell the full story, including the negative impacts on our neighborhoods and our children that can be expected should this proposal become law.

Proponents of legalization often cite a variety of anticipated benefits, ranging from large streams of new tax revenues for governments to anticipated “social justice” gains that they say would level the playing field for minorities.

The reality, however, is far less rosy. That’s clear from the example set by Colorado, where legalization occurred in 2014.

By 2017, Colorado’s marijuana taxes accounted for $210 million of the state’s $27.1 billion in revenues — just 0.78 percent. Here in New Jersey, Murphy is projecting $60 million of new tax revenues from the legalization of recreational marijuana in his state budget proposal for 2020.

That $60 million would account for just 0.15 percent of the revenues needed to support his massive $38.6 billion spending plan for next year.

At the local level, the financial picture doesn’t get any better. Municipalities already have been told by legislative leaders not to expect a windfall of new money from legalization.

So any expectation that marijuana might be a panacea for New Jersey’s property tax crisis is misguided.

For example, many mayors and police chiefs have expressed serious concerns that there are significant recurring expenses associated with training police officers to become and remain certified as “drug recognition experts.”

These so-called “DREs” are specially trained to identify when a person’s behavior indicates they are driving under the influence (DUI) of a substance other than alcohol.

This special training is necessary because there is no simple breathalyzer test for marijuana.

As a former prosecutor, I know that DUI cases that are reliant on behavioral observations are much more uncertain and far less likely to result in convictions in our courtrooms.

While marijuana legalization will lead to more marijuana users and more impaired drivers, there will be little deterrent to prevent all of those who are high from getting behind the wheel with disastrous results.

That has proven to be the case in Colorado, Washington and Oregon, where crash rates rose following legalization by those states.

But it’s not just the threat to families on our roadways that has me worried. I’m also concerned that marijuana legalization will increase children’s access to marijuana in their homes, making the current drug epidemic even worse.

It’s no secret that New Jersey is in the midst of an opioid crisis. Ocean County, which I represent, is arguably the epicenter. Sadly, it’s not uncommon to find pain pills stolen from home medicine cabinets being sold and abused in our middle schools and high schools.

Given our experiences with opioids, it’s beyond belief to suggest that kids won’t get hold of marijuana that their parents have legally purchased. That, too, has proven to be true in Colorado, where the youth marijuana use rate is now the highest in the nation.

That also ties back into the misrepresented “social justice” aspect of legalization. According to the Colorado Department of Public Safety, arrests of black and Latino youth have increased by 58 percent and 29 percent, respectively, post-legalization. It’s likely those children are taking advantage of increased access to marijuana in their homes.

So why not decriminalize the substance? Because there is no tax money in that solution.

Not surprisingly, those and other concerns are being brushed under the rug by marijuana advocates who are racing to legalize it in New Jersey.

We spend millions to fight tobacco smoking and now we want to add another smoking substance. We have the highest taxes and now the governor wants the population on a high.

Given the probable consequences, I don’t think what they’re doing is right, and I don’t think I’d be proud of myself for casting a vote for legalization. So I won’t.

Governor’s budget includes spending for college aid to illegal immigrants and overfunding Pre-K

On behalf of students and taxpayers in Ocean County, Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin (all R-10) issued the following response to Governor Murphy’s budget address. The lawmakers noted that the funding cuts in the Governor’s proposed budget would drastically affect public schools in their district, such as Brick and Toms River Township.

District 10 lawmakers sound off on Gov. Murphy’s budget, noting that his proposed funding cuts would drastically affect public schools in their district, such as Brick and Toms River Township. (SenateNJ.com)

“While our constituents are being told that there is not enough money for school funding, Governor Murphy is handing out money to other programs that would give free college tuition and financial aid to illegal immigrants. State spending is out of control and our taxpayers and students are paying the price.

“On Tuesday, many students and teachers from around the state, including a number from our district, came to Trenton to protest education funding cuts. Brick Township and Toms River Regional are some of the most efficient and fiscally responsible school districts in the state. They spend less per pupil than the state average. Penalizing our schools for being fiscally responsible by redirecting millions of dollars to new programs is an insult to schools that are facing staffing cuts and cancellations of extracurricular programs for students.

“The most alarming aspect of the proposal includes spending another $68 million to increase Pre-K and daycare to $800 million. Meanwhile, schools like Toms River and Brick are considering cancelling full day kindergarten all together as a result of their funding cuts. How is the state planning to pay for this increase when we can’t even properly fund our K-12 schools? This is a flawed and unjust formula that hurts our students and communities. We will continue to fight for school funding fairness.”

District 10 Lawmakers Note that State-mandated Minimum Wage Hike Will Hurt Seasonal & Small Businesses the Most

Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin (all R-10) sounded off on Thursday’s passage of S-15/A-15 which would increase the minimum wage over time to $15 an hour. The Jersey Shore legislators are vehemently opposed to the increase, stating it will hurt seasonal and small businesses the most.

District 10 lawmakers sound off on the proposed minimum wage hike to $15 an hour. The Jersey Shore legislators stated it will hurt seasonal and small businesses the most. (Wikimedia)

“This bill is yet another attempt by Governor Murphy to force residents and business owners out of state,” said Senator Holzapfel. “Small businesses are the backbone of the Jersey Shore and this wage increase will send ripple effects throughout our Shore economy. Everyone, from the business owner on the boardwalk, to the tourist at the beach, will pay for this wage hike. The only option left for our hardworking business owners is either to raise prices, cut workers or close up shop entirely.”

The legislation defines seasonal businesses as those that make the most of their revenue during certain months of the year, such as the summer, placing these businesses on a different wage increase schedule. If the legislation is signed into law next week as expected, beginning January 1, 2020, seasonal businesses need to pay their employees at least $10.30 an hour, and then increase that wage each year until it reaches $15 an hour in 2026.

“Restaurants, bars, boardwalks and amusement parks on the Jersey Shore will be the hardest hit,” added Assemblyman Wolfe. “Even with the delayed increase, the mom and pop shops on the boardwalk will have to pay a competitive wage to attract young workers, who will undoubtedly choose to find higher-paying jobs at a supermarket or coffee shop chain instead. This is devastating to small businesses no matter how you slice it.”

The District 10 lawmakers also noted that the legislation sets artificially low-limits of those who qualify as a “small business,” and fails to acknowledge in full the many seasonal industries across the state that will be hurt by new wage mandates they cannot afford.

The tourism industry supports hundreds of thousands of jobs in New Jersey and generates billions of dollars in state and local tax revenue. It is a vital source of income for the state and its residents.

“Last year, Governor Murphy took the egregious step of forcing short-term beach rentals to cope with a “shore tax.” Now he’s taking a direct shot at small business owners, who will not be able to afford to their pay employees unless they increase their prices. Vacationing with your family to the Jersey Shore use to be an affordable getaway, until now,” said Assemblyman McGuckin. “This is not the way to keep or attract business owners, tourists, or new residents to our state. It’s a death sentence for our economy and our business climate as a whole. Regardless, on behalf of the taxpayers we serve, we will continue to fight to get the Jersey Shore and the rest of the Garden State back on track.”

Holzapfel, Wolfe, and McGuckin said Gov. Phil Murphy should listen to Jersey Shore homeowners and small businesses owners impacted by his tax increase on short-term beach rentals. (WikiMedia)

“You shouldn’t have to be a millionaire like Governor Murphy to vacation down the shore,” said Holzapfel. “To charge a family that already stretches to pay thousands for a summer vacation an extra ten to fourteen percent in rental taxes is ridiculous. We’re already hearing that potential customers are responding to the new tax by booking at a much slower pace, which is concerning to the many tourism-driven businesses that make the bulk of their income during the summer months.”
“Going to the Jersey Shore used to be an affordable summer getaway for many in the region, but Murphy’s ‘Shore Tax’ is putting a drivable vacation out of reach for many middle-class families,” Wolfe added. “Murphy’s tax represents a real threat to New Jersey’s $43 billion tourism economy and the mom-and-pop shops that form the backbone of our coastal communities. I shudder to think what impact the hundreds of dollars in extra fees will have on our seaside stores when it costs an arm and a leg before a family even gets to the beach.”

“Now that people are learning the full scope of Murphy’s ‘Jersey Shore Tax,’ they’re angry he hid the truth about who would be impacted,” McGuckin commented. “Beach homeowners, regardless of whether they use a rental service like Airbnb, are finding the tax is hitting them, and they’re losing out on rental activity as a result. It’s clear that potential renters are looking outside of New Jersey for their vacations. The simple fact is that Governor Murphy’s’ beach rental tax has made New Jersey even more unaffordable than it already was.”

Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Dave Wolfe and Greg McGuckin (all R-10) said Governor Phil Murphy is doubling down on his efforts to enact a progressive social wish list, including restoring voting rights for convicted felons, while ignoring the basic affordability crisis that is driving law-abiding families from New Jersey.

“As a former county prosecutor, I believe that breaking the law should have consequences for criminals, including losing the right to vote, until their debt to society is paid in full,” said Holzapfel. “A felon should prove they are willing to comply with the law like everyone else before they are entrusted with an ability that can undermine our civil society. It’s shocking that Governor Murphy is focused on voting rights for felons when he has no plan to make life easier for the millions of New Jerseyans who play by the rules.”

Wolfe highlighted the continued flight from New Jersey and the Governor’s apparent blindness to the factors that are driving families and businesses to other states.

“Nobody’s leaving the Garden State because felons can’t vote or because illegals can’t get driver’s licenses here,” said Wolfe. “They’re leaving because their taxes are too high and they can’t afford to raise a family or retire in New Jersey. Unfortunately, there was absolutely zero recognition of that fact in Governor Murphy’s State of the State address this week.”

McGuckin said the Governor’s priorities and those of regular people simply do not align.

“Governor Murphy is focused almost entirely on legalizing marijuana, turning New Jersey into a sanctuary state, and rewarding criminals with new rights,” added McGuckin. “Those may be the priorities of progressive activists and the rich liberal elite, but they simply are not the priorities of the hard-working families who are struggling to pay their property tax bills in Ocean County and across New Jersey.”

Senator Jim Holzapfel and Assemblymen Greg McGuckin and Assemblyman Dave Wolfe (all R-Ocean) issued the following statement in response to New Jersey Attorney General Gurbir Grewal’s sweeping immigration order to limit the ways in which state and local law enforcement officers are permitted to cooperate with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officials.

District 10 lawmakers blasted NJ Attorney General Grewal’s sweeping immigration order limiting the ways in which NJ law enforcement officers can cooperate with ICE. (Flickr)

“Attorney General Grewal’s ill-conceived order is a dangerous political statement that jeopardizes the safety of millions of our residents,” Senator Holzapfel (R-10) stated. “New Jersey is a diverse and welcoming state, but without the cooperation of state and local police, individuals who should be taken off our streets will still be able to disregard the law. For the sake of the hardworking residents who live here legally, I am urging Attorney General Grewal to rethink this drastic action immediately.”

The new directive, which was announced on Nov. 29, forbids county jails from honoring certain ICE detainer requests, such as asking local police to hold people who are arrested for minor crimes and suspected of being in the country unlawfully. The AG’s new guidelines also state that detainers can be honored only if they come with a judicial warrant.

“We don’t want to do anything that is contrary to federal law,” Assemblyman Wolfe (R-10) added. “This is America. You can’t pick and choose which laws you want to follow. New Jersey should be a tolerant place for people of all backgrounds, but that doesn’t mean we should violate the law or stop hardworking immigration officials from doing their jobs.”

“This initiative places undocumented immigrants above the millions of residents who are living here legally,” Assemblyman McGuckin said. “It creates a costly haven for those who have broken the law and are looking to evade deportation. Governor Murphy just spent $2.1 million to provide free lawyers to illegal immigrants, while cutting school funding in Brick, Toms River and Manchester. Enough. This administration must stop wasting money and putting legal citizens in New Jersey at risk. We won’t stay silent and allow Governor Murphy to turn New Jersey into a sanctuary state.”

A series of school bus safety bills sponsored Senators James Holzapfel, Kristen Corrado, Patrick J. Diegnan Jr., Joseph Lagana, Vin Gopal, and Linda Greenstein has been approved by the New Jersey State Senate.

The package aims to improve bus safety and accident response, make bus drivers and companies more accountable and require every student to carry an identification card at school-sponsored, off-campus activities.

“Parents should not have to worry about the safety of their child when they are on a school bus,” said Senator Holzapfel (R-Ocean). “We are taking action at the state level to require additional education training for school bus drivers and ensure the safety of our children. We want drivers and aides to be educated on how to handle an emergency situation. Any step we can take to prevent an accident involving a school bus will go a long way.”

“After so many tragic accidents, thousands of parents now have to think twice when they watch their child board a school bus,” Senator Corrado (R-Bergen/Essex/Morris/Passaic) said. “There is nothing more precious than our children. If you’re going to drive a school bus, you should have a clean driving record and the qualifications necessary to transport our kids. This bill will ensure those standards are met. It’s the least we can do.”

“We want to do everything that we can to make sure that school bus accidents like the ones we have seen over the past year never happen again,” said Senator Diegnan (D-Middlesex). “The bills focus on school bus operations and drivers, requiring compliance with both state and federal regulations. We want school bus drivers to be knowledgeable of how to handle a bus, know what the protocols are in the event of an accident, and be physically able to carry out their responsibilities. If implemented, these changes will go a long way in improving school bus safety for our children.”

“The school bus accident this May that tragically killed an East Brook Middle School student and teacher, and left many others injured, was a nightmare scenario,” said Senator Lagana (D-Bergen/Passaic). “This horrific accident prompted me to call for public hearings which led to conversations about how we could make school buses safer, and create tougher regulations relating to bus drivers and bus operators. The package of bills my Senate colleagues and I are sponsoring addresses these concerns and will help ensure that no parent or child will have to go through what too many have endured these past few months. As parents, we should not have to worry about the safety of our children when they board a school bus.”

“All members of the public have a vested interest in making sure school bus drivers are driving safely and paying close attention to their surroundings,” said Senator Gopal (D-Monmouth). “Placing a contact number on the back of the bus will help hold bus drivers accountable for reckless driving, giving the public the ability to easily report if they see something concerning.”

“The safety of children is the number one priority of any parent. We expect children to be secure when they go to school, and we expect children to be unharmed when they ride the bus to school,” said Senator Greenstein (D-Mercer/Middlesex). “We can always make school buses safer, especially as technology changes we must continue to adapt to ensure we are doing everything we can to keep children out of harm’s way. New Jersey is a family friendly state, and we need to assure parents that their children will be all right when they ride the bus to and from school.”

The package includes the following legislation:

Sponsored by Senator Holzapfel and Senator Diegnan , S-2853 would require bi-annual safety education for school bus drivers and aides. School bus staff members would submit to safety education once at the beginning of the school year, and again during the second semester. This education would cover several key areas, including student management and discipline, accident and emergency procedures and emergency exit drills. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 40-0.

Sponsored by Senator Corrado and Senator Lagana , S-2914 would require the Chief Administrator of the New Jersey Motor Vehicle Commission to suspend the school bus endorsement on a person’s driver’s license for ninety-days if the person is convicted of three or more motor vehicle moving violations in a three-year period, or accumulates six or more motor vehicle penalty points while operating a commercial or non-commercial motor vehicle. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 39-0.

Sponsored by Senator Diegnan and Senator Gopal, S-1773, would require that all school buses have a phone number or website displayed on the back of the bus so drivers can report bus driver misconduct if they witness anything concerning. The bill would take effect immediately and be applicable to the next school year starting July 1st. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 40-0.

Sponsored by Senator Lagana and Senator Greenstein, S-2754 would require the Commissioner of Education, in consultation with directors of various other relevant departments, to study the safety of school bus passengers in various emergency situations. Following a thorough investigation the commissioner would issue a report to the governor and the Legislature summarizing their findings and offering recommendations to improve the safety of school bus passengers. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 38-0.

Sponsored by Senator Lagana, S-2755 would require that any school district transportation supervisor with less than 11 years’ experience and all newly hired transportation directors complete a certification program, as a condition of employment. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 37-0.

Sponsored by Senator Diegnan and Senator Lagana, S-2848 would require bus drivers to submit proof of physical fitness in the form of a medical examination conducted by a medical examiner recognized by the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration’s National Registry of Certified Medical Examiners. School bus drivers that are 70 years of age or older would be required to submit proof of physical fitness annually, and drivers over the age of 75 will be required to submit proof every six months. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 38-0.

Sponsored by Senator Lagana and Senator Deignan, S-2850 would require school district’s board of education and their school bus contractor to provide a statement to the Department of Education notifying the suspension or revocation of a school bus driver’s license. This would bring further confirmation that a driver deemed unfit for duty is no longer driving a school bus for the board of education or the school bus contractor. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 39-0.

Sponsored by Senator Lagana and Senator Deignan, S-2851 would require boards of education and contractors that provide school transportation services to employ school bus safety personnel. Safety personnel would be required to ensure that the compliance of state and federal laws, rules and regulations are implemented, that the best training in emergency equipment is provided and that accident avoidance practices regarding school bus safety are followed. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 38-0.

Sponsored by Senator Diegnan and Senator Lagana, S-2852 would require school bus operations in New Jersey to comply with certain federal regulations. School bus drivers would be required to comply with parts of the Code of Federal Regulations covering several areas, including drug testing and safety procedures and requirements. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 40-0.

Sponsored by Senator Lagana, S-2855 would require each school district to develop and implement a policy requiring all students to carry a school identification card issued by the district while the student is at any school-sponsored, off-campus activity including field trips or interscholastic sports programs. The bill cleared the Senate by a vote of 40-0.